Marine protection in latin America/Caribbean

An Earth Hour 2013 conservation challenge in Argentina is mobilising public support to incorporate the Banco Burwood marine plateau within a marine protected area (MPA) which, at 3,4 million ha, would become the country’s largest MPA. The marine plateau is important as a fish breeding and nursery area, and for seabirds such as albatross, petrel and penguins. A new 131,000 ha marine reserve has been established by Belize for the Turneffe Atoll, the largest in the Caribbean. Supported
by government and civil society bodies including WWF, this MPA protects a rich array of marine life in the MesoAmerican Reef, including coral, mangrove and seagrass bed habitats, lobster and conch species.